Judge grants outside jury in Pittsburgh doc’s poisoning

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A judge has approved a defense request for out-of-county jurors to hear the homicide case against a University of Pittsburgh researcher accused of poisoning his neurologist wife.

Judge Jeffrey A. Manning says it’s expensive to do that but tests of local jury pools found significant numbers had a fixed opinion about the case. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts will now choose a jurisdiction from which to select the jury.

Allegheny County prosecutors allege that Robert Ferrante, 65, gave Autumn Klein, 41, cyanide in an energy drink in April 2013 in their Oakland home. She collapsed that night and died three days later.

Ferrante and his attorney have said that he denies any involvement in his wife’s death and remains “devastated” by her loss.